Impacts on Land use Characteristics from Ferry Replacement Projects. Two Case Studies from Norway

Abstract

Fixed links projects are bridges or tunnels that connect two areas separated by geographic barriers. Fixed links reduce dramatically the travel time and provide reliability and flexibility, as often they replace ferry services. This might impact on land use characteristics and travel behaviour. We aim to explain these impacts by making time series analyses of empirical data on two fixed links that connect islands to the mainland on the west coast of Norway. We find that changes in travel time and cost might generate an increase in the attractiveness of the municipalities connected by the fixed links, leading to an increase in population. The greater demand for housing triggers a growth in square metre price for dwellings and construction rates. There is also a higher annual traffic growth than the experienced before the fixed link was opened. Despite that, we do not find either an additional increase in the number of companies or changes on number of employees in the existing companies.